John Jaqua Academic Center for Student Athletes

Just a few years ago the Denver Broncos replaced their beloved home, Mile High Stadium, with a new stadium called Invesco field at Mile High.  This was a highly controversial change and the "at Mile High" part was a serious compromise to appease the community.  With this brand new academic center for student athletes on the University of Oregon's Campus, financed principally by the founders of Nike, one has to wonder, will it soon be the Nike Sports University at Oregon.  Especially considering just behind it, the largest and most expensive PAC ten indoor arena is rising from the earth, upon being finished will bear the name of the Matthew Knight Arena (after founder of Nike, Phil Knight's son).  But, back to the new academic center.  First, it is the kind of project that every architect dreams of, and ZGF of Portland definitely did not drop the ball.  To say it is a display of opulence doesn't begin to describe it.  I think if the Egyptian Pharaoh King Tut was an Oregon college sports aficionado this would have been his tomb, not that cheap pyramid in Giza.  Its really quite overwhelming, and I honestly can't describe it with words, I even struggled to describe it with photographs, but it sure was fun to try.

The building is surrounded on three of four sides by a reflecting pool (non student athletes who do not get to use the building have referred to it as a "moat")

The three story lobby looking up.

There is no such thing as a "second grade" material in this building, only first class, innovative, beautiful and expensive stuff here.

This is the emergency exit "fire stair." The pattern on the wall is made up of the names of student athlete graduates.

All Photographs Copyright 2010 Andrew Browning Photography

Oregon vs. USC

Not having tickets for the big game tonight, my plan was to create a great image of Autzen Stadium. I've had this idea in my mind since our first trip up to Skinners Butte, the overlook here in Eugene, and witnessing the great view of the stadium from that vantage point. My interest in the structure increased after attending the Utah game there in September. I've since found out that Autzen was originally designed by Skidmore, Owings and Merrell of Chicago in 1967 (they also did things like the Air Force Academy). Anyway, Oregon pounded USC, (always nice to see the university of spoiled children lose a football game) and I got a powerful image of Autzen on an exciting, sell-out night.

Images Copyright 2009 Andrew Browning Photography

The Grand Tetons...

A little catch-up back to our super fun drive out to Oregon.

The highlight of our trip (other than the 30 miles of "4x4 only" quality pass-way through major road construction on Wyoming Hwy. 287 that shook and vibrated the bikes on top of my car so much that a bolt came loose from my perfectly fitting roof rack causing us to immediately stop and search the gravel 30 ft. behind my car for thirty minutes only to find said bolt resting in the gutter between the hood and the windshield on my car, but I digress...) was the our day visit to Grand Teton National Park. Initially we were planning to go to Yellowstone, but the previously mentioned road construction and warnings of more construction on the road we have to take in and out of Yellowstone made our decision for us: we were spending the day in Teton and saving Yellowstone for another trip. This worked out because I happened to have my camera with me (shocker, I know) and I got to spend most of our day taking photographs of the most beautiful granite in North America I've seen (no I havn't yet been to Yosemite). Anyway here's the results:

We accidentally on purpose ran into the very new Visitors Center at Grand Teton.

Actually, we had seen the project published in Architectural Record and were very impressed and when we drove past it on the south end of the park were pleasantly reminded that it was here!

The last shot before another long day on the road.

All images Copyright 2009 Andrew Browning Photography